


The Chemistry of Chemistry

by plainboxes



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:31:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8368918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plainboxes/pseuds/plainboxes
Summary: Isaac thought it was enough. He had a plan. Out of Beacon Hills, away from bad memories- but the new memories that rewrite themselves over his previous experiences more than help him change his mind.





	

Isaac never did like going home. It was beating after beating, argument after argument, injury after injury. Isaac knows he deserves it, though. He’s never good enough for his father, never getting perfect grades like Camden always did, never strong enough, not even manly enough, and it hurts, knowing how he’s lacking in every department known to man.

He’s nowhere as good looking nor intelligent as his peers. It’s not as if Isaac wants to be stupid, he tries, okay, he tries so hard to do better in school, but nothing ever seems to work. He wishes he knew better, wishes he could be the perfect son, but he’s not, will never be, and it sucks.

Sometimes he wonders why he’s alive. His existence is meaningless other than grades, and even then, he’s not good enough. There’s always Lydia Martins, who is somehow a lot more perfect than him in every single aspect, be it in terms of popularity, looks, grades, wealth- she has it all. 

Sometimes, he whispers his resentment under his breath as he studies late into the night, wiping away silent tears as he tries to work out a chemical equation that he just can’t understand no matter how much time he spends working on it. 

Isaac dreams of a world where he could have a nicer father who doesn’t beat him, Camden alive and well, a mother somewhere because he’s never known what it’s like to have one. Unrealistic hopes and dreams will always be crushed, and of course Isaac knows that, he knows better than anyone else, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.

 

Isaac’s never been good with people. The only person he’s close to is Camden, but Camden will never come back, and Isaac’s left alone with a father who blames him for causing his mother’s death, who always tells him how he can never match up to Camden. Isaac is well aware, of course, why can’t his father stop emphasizing this to him? But this is his father, and while he has a duty to the person who technically brought him up, he can’t help but imagine himself sticking a knife into his father so everything can just be over. 

He’s contemplated this before, but he’s never quite had the guts to do something so extreme. He’s biding his time now though, so once he finishes high school, he’s hoping to get a scholarship to a university far, far away from Beacon Hills. It’ll be difficult to maintain his grades, but Isaac will do it. He has to.

He doesn’t have any real attachment to this place he’s lived in all his life, what with how people just plain out ignore him. Isaac’s used to it, despite his initial hopes for companionship, he probably just doesn’t fit with other people. 

People did try coming to him, once upon a time. Isaac just didn’t really know how to keep the conversation going, because what are you supposed to talk about other than the homework you’re supposed to hand in the next day? He’s tried to come up with other topics, but Isaac is so detached from pop culture that he can’t really say anything that will strike the other party’s interest. He doesn’t know how to make friends, no matter how much he wants to, and it gets really lonely sometimes.

Isaac’s resigned to a life of solitude in high school, but that’s okay. His priority is to do well in school and then get that scholarship that will open up his opportunities and maybe give him something to live for. 

He ignores the niggling self-doubt that something’s wrong with Isaac, that’s why people don’t come to him the way people crowd around Jackson, or Lydia, or any of the popular kids in his class. Isaac just doesn’t know what to do to make people like him. Maybe he’s just not good enough for them.

But that’s okay.

 

When he's fifteen, his father dies. It was a complete accident.

Well, he does say it was an accident, since his father wasn't planning on dying like this, but he's been going to bars for years, picking fights and drinking. It's not any wonder that someone might have gotten fed up with him and tried to kill him, since Isaac sometimes fantasized about that too. 

Along with his father's death comes a lot of changes in Isaac's life. With his father gone, he's basically a teenager who's left to fend for himself. The one good thing he gets out of his father's death is the house, and a small pile of money that he can live off of until he can earn his keep. His father had already paid off the loans and it now belongs to him, meaning that Isaac isn't going to be homeless.

Since he's already 18, the government doesn't really care about him and he's left to his own devices. He continues going to school, continues his daily routine, and it's like his father was still alive, watching his every move. He's so used to the idea of constantly being monitored that it's strange that suddenly, he has the liberty to stay out late. Not to do his homework. Linger around after class. Take his time when buying groceries. There's a lot he can do, but it doesn't quite register that he has a choice now.

And so, Isaac goes about his daily life, having his lunch in the cafeteria at an empty table, going to the library to find some reading material, going for lacrosse practice, doing homework, the same thing day after day. It’s routine, and nothing ever changes. The one thing that differs is how Isaac has lost his motivation to get out of Beacon Hills, because there is nothing he needs to run from now. He can continue living happily here.

Or at least, that's what he wants to think, until one day, he notices Daniel Mahealani smile at him in the locker room. It’s never happened before, and Isaac doesn’t quite know what to make of it. Is he supposed to smile back or say something?

He pretends he doesn’t see it as he rummages through his stuff in his bag, casually sliding his gaze away. Isaac knows it’s awfully rude to ignore someone, but it’s like his body isn’t listening to him. 

He thinks about it all day long, regretting his decision to turn away, confused and overwhelmed and annoyed that he hadn't reacted like a normal person would, like smiling back. Honestly, Isaac is a very stupid human being.

That night, his mind is full of a ton of scenarios of what could happen, that night.

Danny is considerably popular, and he has his own group of friends that include Lydia, Jackson, Scott and Stiles. Isaac doesn’t know why Danny’s suddenly smiling at him, and it scares him, because that smile is sort of like how his dad smiles while asking him about his unacceptable grade in Math, but- different, somehow. It’s scary that it’s directed at him, because it’s something so unfamiliar to Isaac, and he doesn’t quite know what to make of it.

Will Danny continue to smile at him? Is it some sort of joke? Will something happen now that he’s been rude to Danny? Will Danny get mad?

He tries to ignore everyone as much as he can, even though lacrosse is technically a team sport that requires communication. Isaac manages it, somehow. 

He’s still wondering about Danny’s intentions.

 

Danny suddenly starts coming to him at random moments, in class or during lacrosse, a little greeting here and there, the flash of a little smile. 

To be honest, it irks him a little. Isaac exists in his own world, and the real world has no place for him. Danny must have some stupid bet about befriending that weird guy in their grade that they had somehow noticed. Or maybe it could be about bothering random guys?

He doesn’t really know Danny, but he’s heard whispers about how he’s gay and out, and extremely nice. Isaac wonders if that’s all an act, because the concept of being nice to everyone just sounds tiresome. 

Either way, it’s probably a game just to mess with Isaac, the way his dad always liked to do, and it’s not fun at all. He’s had enough of it at home, and the thought of having to deal with someone trying to toy with him is- nope, he isn’t going to bother.

Isaac knows it’s incredibly rude of him, but he makes it a point to disappear out of sight as soon as he can. It’s not as if anyone’s going to be looking for him for anything important. He makes frequent trips to the public library instead of the one in school, because it’s usually a lot more quiet and calming in there, which is always needed for the studying he does there.  
The rare moments right after tests, Isaac likes to reward himself with reading poetry and drawing. Sometimes, he goes to a café nearby, treating himself to a sundae while he scribbles his favourite words onto post-it notes he carries everywhere. He likes to keep them hidden in a secret journal he hides under his books, locked up in a drawer. Now that his father is gone, he likes to leave it neatly on the corner of his table where he can constantly refer to it.

And that’s… basically the gist of Isaac’s entire life till then. There’s nothing much to it, just Isaac and his plain, boring life till Danny arrived to throw off his rhythm. 

 

Unfortunately, Danny seems to be quite persistent in his advances, frequently seeking him out. Isaac’s tempted to walk away every time he’s nearby and he does just that, unwilling to play along, giving Danny 0.01% of his attention by granting him the tiniest glance of acknowledgment every time. 

Just in case, you know. Isaac doesn’t want to appear too rude. 

Things don’t always go as planned though. He’s minding his own business as usual, studying his chemistry textbook in the library, and he looks up for a second only to see Danny Mahealani entering the library. Isaac can only hope he hasn’t been noticed, quickly burying himself in the book.

Surprisingly enough, it seems to work, and he peeks at Danny to see what he’s doing. He seems to have picked up a rather thick book and seated himself about three tables away, and… okay. None of Isaac’s business. Time to study chemistry to bring up his grades.

Isaac doesn’t want to think about the possibility of having to change his study spaces if Danny suddenly decides it's a good idea to come by the library more often.

 

It’s a month before midterms, and he’s not doing too well. Isaac’s always been a slow learner, and chemistry just isn’t taking to him. Harris is a smug teacher who likes to put his students down, and Isaac knows that he’s really not doing well when his name is mentioned in class one day.

“Students like you always leave me questioning my decision to become a teacher. Isaac Lahey, you’d better start working hard. Getting As and Bs in French and economics does not mean you get to slack off in chemistry. Stilinski, I am absolutely appalled at -“

Isaac is glad nobody’s paying any attention to him, even with his name being mentioned. Once again, he’s reminded of how people don’t even acknowledge his existence. It’s fine, though. It’s always been this way.

“For all of you who are not doing well in my class, consider going to Danny. He’s consistently been doing very well, so ask him any questions if I’m ever unavailable.”

Isaac chances a glance at Danny and sees him smiling proudly, and it suddenly occurs to him that Danny is actually smart and good looking and has been trying to talk to Isaac.

It doesn’t make sense to him, but since Danny hasn’t given up on his subtle gestures of friendliness (it’s been almost a month), it doesn’t seem like a bad idea to ask if Danny could tutor him. Or lend him some notes. 

He waits till lacrosse practice that day, waiting for Danny to approach him like he always does. Danny gives Isaac a gentle nod of acknowledgement and a brilliant smile as always.

Instead of directly moving away, Isaac turns, making eye contact. “Hey?” he says, and the statement ends up as a question. Isaac blames it on the lack of social interaction he’s had all this time.

Danny turns back, surprised, because he’s used to being ignored by now. Isaac doesn’t understand how anyone can still try to talk to him for an entire month and endure being ignored like this, but apparently Danny can, and that’s. Wow. 

“Yeah?”

“I know I’m probably sounding really hypocritical now, but do you think you could lend me your chemistry notes? I’ll return them to you ASAP, ” Isaac tries to keep it short and sweet, doesn’t want to prolong the conversation and feel even more unsure about asking a favour from a stranger. “It’s fine if you don’t want to,” he adds, as an afterthought.

Isaac’s not quite sure he’s surprised when Danny answers, agreeable. 

“Oh, sure! I’m quite free, actually, do you want to come over? I could pass you those notes any time, but it’s a little personalized, so it’s better if I explain them to you face to face. How does that sound?”

Isaac would do anything in the name of good grades, actually, but he’ll take the chance of trying to figure it out himself first. 

“I don’t want to bother you, I’ll try to figure it out myself first, if that’s alright?”

“Sounds good!” Danny grins and pats him on the back before running back to the field, flashing him a thumbs up.

Isaac wonders if he came off as a rude person in any part of this conversation. Danny doesn’t seem mad that Isaac turned down his offer, so that must mean he didn’t do too bad at holding a conversation (that lasted for three seconds)?

 

Danny prints a copy of his notes and drops the stack by Isaac’s table after French. “Seriously, if you have any questions, just ask.” 

Isaac hesitates for a moment and mutters a quick “thanks”, the word strange on his tongue. Once upon a time, words came easily to him, but now everything he verbalizes has to be thought through carefully. 

Isaac looks through the notes and sees that Danny’s included extra practice questions that have also been fully explained with little arrows pointing to Danny’s loopy handwriting. Danny was either very enthusiastic about his studies, or he’d taken the time to write down explanations for every single question just for Isaac. The second idea doesn't seem quite plausible, which meant… 

Well, Isaac’s image of him has changed slightly. 

Isaac goes through the notes that are explained in the practice questions. Without those, Isaac would definitely be extremely confused, and he’s suddenly extremely grateful to Danny. Chemistry suddenly seems a lot easier to understand with Danny notating in layman terms.

Isaac makes sure to pen down everything in his notebook, and once he’s done, he takes out a yellow post-it note and writes “Thanks”, sticking it at the last page of chapter he's looking at. 

He tells Danny he'll make sure to return everything within the week, which is kind of difficult since there’s more than a semester’s worth of information. It’s not impossible, and Isaac works through the nights to make sure he doesn’t hog the notes for too long.

Danny gives him a grateful smile and tells Isaac to take his time, and how he hopes the notes will help him. Isaac smiles back.

 

One and a half weeks before midterms, Isaac finds himself stuck again. He can’t help it, okay, Harris decided to throw in another topic about two weeks ago and he just can’t comprehend anything in that topic.

Isaac’s been to the library multiple times, trying to look for more material that might help him, but the terms are much too complex and in-depth for him to actually understand how anything works. 

He doesn’t want to admit it, but he really does need Danny’s help again. 

He goes up to Danny after class, asking if he’s willing to lend Isaac the notes again, and Danny stares at him for about five seconds. 

Isaac doesn’t know what to make of that. Not, of course, until Danny answers. 

“My notes for that topic still isn’t complete yet. I could pass it to you first, though I think it’d be better if I explained it to you personally. It’s quite simple once you think about it in a certain way, but I haven’t had the time to pen it down yet. Do you have time today? Or even now?”

“Now’s fine,” Isaac considers. “But I didn’t really bring the questions I couldn’t understand.”

“I could show you the basic concept so you can figure it out on your own tonight.”

Isaac shrugs, “Yeah, sure.” He goes back to his seat and pulls out his textbook, opening it to the page that he’s been staring at for the past two days. 

“You’ve really worked hard on that,” Danny comments as he slides into the seat in front of Isaac’s desk. “All highlighted and notated…” he trails off, staring as Isaac tries to refresh his memory of what he does understand. 

“So…”

He glances at Danny briefly. “Where should we start?” 

Isaac hesitates, and then points to a question that he’s written on a post-it. “What did I do wrong?”

It takes them some time, as they pore through the textbook. Isaac has his own questions that he wrote on his post-its, and he makes sure to clarify everything. 

He knows it himself; he’s not the brightest person in the world, and it takes him quite a bit of time to grasp certain concepts. He’s surprised Danny hasn’t given up after having to repeat the same thing about four times.

By the time their study session ends, Isaac’s stomach is growling. He swears he can hear a little rumble from Danny’s own stomach, but he can’t be sure.

“You’re hungry?” 

Danny smiles sheepishly. “Let’s just say I have a high metabolism rate.”

“Maybe,” Isaac nods. “So, uh, thanks for today? It was really helpful. You’re really good at this.”

“No problem. Just ask me anything when you have questions, I’ll be glad to be of assistance. Do you want my number, just in case?” 

Isaac hesitates for a second, before he pulling it out of his bag. His phone only has two contacts, and it’s Camden’s old number and his dad’s. There used to be a lot more, but his dad smashed his old phone when his grades plunged a couple years back, when Camden was still around. 

The only use he has for his phone lately is to write little stories and words in his notes app when he lacked access to physical writing materials. 

He doesn’t really know how to use this phone to add contacts, though, since there hasn’t been much need for it. Isaac hands his phone to Danny, looking at him expectantly.

He can see the look of surprise on Danny’s face, but doesn’t bother explaining.

Danny taps here and there, checks his own phone when it rings, and then returns it to Isaac. Is that how a contact is entered into a phone? He doesn’t really know.

What he really does want to know, though, is why Danny’s phone lights up with his name on the screen (Isaac has perfect eyesight). He’s definitely never revealed it to anyone before, so why should Danny have it saved? He dismisses the thought.

Isaac checks the time while he unlocks his phone, and crap. It’s way past the time to start preparing dinner, and Isaac loves his food too much to stay here talking to Danny when he could be preparing something delicious. Now that Dad isn't around, he's given himself more time to prepare food and has started looking into different recipes that he thinks he might enjoy. 

“I’ll just, go now? I’m thinking of trying out new recipes today and I should start preparing dinner soon, but yeah. Thanks for today?”

He's oversharing, probably, but Danny doesn't seem to mind. "No problem. Text me if there's anything else you need help with, okay?" 

Okay, Isaac says in his mind, and he feels awkward as he grins and quickly leaves.  
He’s such an idiot, especially how every single sentence in that sentence turned into a question. His utter lack of social skills and stupidity is quite annoying, even for him.

Isaac stops wondering about Danny the moment he heats the pan. 

 

Unfortunately, Isaac’s brain isn’t fast enough to absorb all the information that Danny has provided him with, and he feels embarrassed to ask again. He doesn’t want to bother Danny, but midterms is literally a couple days away, and he eventually gives in. 

"Hi," Isaac says, approaching Danny at his locker. 

"Hey! What’s up?" 

"I know it's a bother, but do you think you could help me with chemistry again? I've still got a couple questions and can’t get it no matter what I try… " He tries a sheepish grin this time. It feels unnatural. 

"That's what my phone number is for," Danny chides, "But sure! Meet you after school?"

"Yeah, okay. Thanks." 

As Danny turns his back, Isaac starts feeling more stupid. It's probably envy for how Danny can grasp concepts so easily while Isaac takes ages just to solve a simple question. He doesn't dislike Danny the way he dislikes Lydia Martin, though, because he's nicer? Lydia is smart and everything, but she comes off as arrogant and condescending and it always makes Isaac feel inferior. 

At least Danny's nice enough that he takes his time to explain everything to Isaac. Isaac wants to do better, be better, and Danny doesn't get annoyed. He plucks up the courage to ask even more questions, something he hadn't done the previous time, and the dazzling smile Danny gives him makes him feel a little more comfortable and slightly less unsure. 

 

They start hanging out a lot more after school, especially after midterms. Isaac didn’t do too badly, thank goodness, and most of this is credited to Danny’s excellent tutoring skills.

Danny asks Isaac if he could tutor him in French, ("I'm not kidding when I say I'm bad at French, I swear my French teacher is cringing every time I say something") and Isaac agrees. The mutual tutoring of French and Chemistry makes the library a meeting point for them, even at the start when Isaac and Danny hadn’t exactly mentioned nor established that either of them were going to be there. 

It’s purely a coincidence, the first few times they meet without planning to. Isaac’s always been a regular at the library, and he obviously knows Danny’s not a frequent visitor. He’s sitting by his usual table, just relaxing while he doodles in his notebook. It’s his personal one, and he’s in a really good mood since he doesn’t really have to worry about any upcoming exams yet.

He feels a poke to his forehead and looks up, only to see Danny smiling down at him with a twinkle in his eye.

“What are you doing here?” Isaac asks as he closes his notebook.

“I’m not allowed to be here?” 

“No, it’s just… You don’t come to the library usually.”

“Oh, Mr. All-Knowing One,” Danny teases, “Perhaps a mere mortal like me would like to partake in an activity that’s known as reading. Is that a problem?”

Isaac immediately feels stupid.

“Yeah, sure, I, uh.” He goes quiet. “Thanks for the tutoring, by the way. I know I’m a slow learner, and you still took the time to help me, so. Thanks.”

Danny laughs quietly in answer. “Come on, I’m supposed to be the one thanking you! It's only been two weeks and my French teacher is already looking less murderous. It's a miracle! Anyway, hey, could you help me with that history essay we’re supposed to write? I can’t find my third point for this topic, and…”

Isaac makes Danny take the seat opposite him and they continue their discussion.

Study partners, that’s what they are. Maybe friends.

 

During tutoring sessions, Danny starts talking to Isaac about more things, like his family, his hobbies, and it surprises Isaac how it comes so naturally to share information about himself in turn. He talks about his notebooks, the post-its, his safe place in the cafe, and makes up silly little stories that make Danny smile. It's somehow easier to crack a few jokes, say something he wouldn't expect of himself, and generally do un-Isaac things. 

Isaac eventually introduces Danny to his favourite cafe after talking endlessly about it, because it feels like the right thing to do. It's been fun hanging out in the library, but the atmosphere in the cafe makes Isaac feel more in his element. Maybe it's the lighting, the staff, or just the couch that makes him feel more comfortable, and Isaac wants to show Danny his special place in hopes they'll share the same feelings for the cafe.

"So what do you think of the cafe?" Isaac asks, five minutes in after bringing Danny in. He glances around the cafe as he speaks, flashing Erica, the owner, a quick smile as he looks past her, and she answers with raised eyebrows, and then a suggestive wink as she gestures at Danny. Isaac gives her a horrified look and twists away, pretending he saw nothing.

Isaac can hear Erica snickering away as he listens for Danny's response. After a few seconds, Danny gives him a thoughtful look, "It's okay."

"It's okay?" Isaac isn't satisfied with the answer.

"It's okay."

"Oh." Isaac looks down, playing with the straps of his bag. "If you don't like this place, we can go somewhere else. Do you know anywhere that's nice?" He tries to hide his disappointment and looks back up at Danny, knowing it was the wrong choice to bring him here.

Danny immediately cuts in. "That's not what I meant! It's relaxing and quiet and I can see why you like it, but until I've tried the food, the best compliment I can give is 'okay'."

Isaac immediately perks up at that. "They have amazing coffee here! And if you like chocolate, their molten lava cake is to die for."

"That actually sounds pretty good, and I hope you're not exaggerating." Danny decides. "I'll leave the decision to you. You'll owe me a favour if I end up not liking it though," he teases, his lips quirked in amusement at his own joke. 

"Sure, I'll help you with your French if I'm wrong. Oh, wait, I already am. We're even now," Isaac gives an almost mischievous smile and quickly escapes to the counter, hoping Danny won't be offended by his reaction. 

Erica watches Danny as Isaac approaches, eyes going back to him as he reaches the counter. "How's it going with Hot Stuff over there?"

Isaac groans. "This is not what you think it is." He's been going to the cafe for so many years that even though they don't talk much, he'd say Erica is probably his closest friend. Other than approaching the counter to order his food, the most he's done is greet her, but apparently Erica thinks that's enough to seal their friendship and initiates conversations with him.

"Oh, so this is a date? Since I'm thinking that it isn't one." Erica gives him a smug look. 

"No, it is not a date. Stop staring at him and do your job," Isaac does not go red. Not at all. 

"Well, if you're not going to hit that, I am. And how am I supposed to my job when my customer isn't giving me his order?" she quips back, and Isaac is momentarily exasperated.

"Nobody is hitting on anybody, especially not when- We're just hanging out, okay?"

Isaac doesn't like making decisions and eventually orders two hazelnut macchiatos and the lava cake. It's his usual order, but he asks for two servings to see what Danny thinks of his taste. 

He knows it's weird. He knows it might be too fast, too clingy, too annoying of him, but he can't help it. Isaac’s always wanted to feel needed, and somehow Danny just knows what to do and how to react. He says things that make Isaac feel good about himself, and maybe Danny’s just really friendly and coincidentally knows what Isaac wants, but everything about Danny is so inviting and comfortable that it doesn’t even seem real.

He's always wondering if he might be intruding on Danny's life, spends the darkness of the night hoping Danny isn't spending time with him just to indulge him, and that he legitimately wants to spend time with Isaac. It's a scary thought that comes up more often than he'd like, but Danny's like a star, an existence so precious and bright and beautiful but so, so far away that he can do little but admire from a distance away. 

Isaac's happy with what they have. It's more than he ever deserves.

Nowadays, Isaac makes it a point to kind of stare at Danny a little after lacrosse, trying to somehow guess if Danny feels like hanging out that day.

"So what do you think of the cafe?"

"It's my first time here and overall, it's pretty good. I know it's a 10/10 on your scale, but for me it's a 9."

"Why?" Isaac is quite curious.

"Well, I can understand why it's a 10 for you, but that lady over there is staring at me so intensely and gesturing at you so much that I'm not quite sure if I want to come back."

Isaac colours, knowing who exactly Danny's talking about. He tries a nervous laugh, "It's nothing much! I don't really know her that well, but she's good at her job and baked these cakes. I think you should come back for that, not for her."

"Well, you already knew I don't swing that way," he says, winking at Isaac, before bursting out in laughter. "That was wink was a bit much, wasn't it?"

Isaac grins, because yes, Danny's wink was cheesy and a little too much.

"Okay, now tell me about your cafe experiences. I'm sure you did a lot of people watching. Anything funny? Any dating tips you gathered from the people here?" 

Isaac, in fact, does have a list of the funny things he's seen in this very cafe, and proceeds to rattle off all he knows. It's been a while since he's spoken this much, but Danny doesn't seem spooked and is, instead, very encouraging. 

(Isaac looks down a lot of the time, because Danny is very dazzling sometimes and his eyes are a little too bright, too beautiful, and Isaac has to try very hard not to drown in them and stare a little too long.) 

Besides occasionally going to the cafe, Danny likes to text him strange things, and it… it’s probably a thing friends do.

Things like “Why are watermelons round and not square”, or “Do you think there are werewolves in this world” or “Was Harry Potter originally a Slytherin or a Gryffindor because that was the Sorting Hat’s first choice”.

It’s hilarious, to be honest. They’re so nonsensical and strange that Isaac can’t help but smile every time he sees Danny being dumb. He tries his best to reply in the wittiest fashion, but sometimes the questions are too weird that there aren’t any proper answers for them.

Danny seems to like it, and starts texting back a whole lot more. Isaac’s secretly happy that he has unlimited texting, because that means he won’t miss out on Danny’s stupidity and replies with dumb emoticons just because he can.

Isaac starts making more suggestive comments the more comfortable he gets with Danny, and he’s always met with silence before Danny bursts out in laughter. He does it at the most unexpected moments, and Danny seems to like it.

Isaac likes it too.

 

Danny meets him at a park one evening, and they sit while sharing some curly fries that Isaac had bought earlier (he was curious about Stiles’ preferences). 

“It’s not bad,” Isaac murmurs thoughtfully as he chews slowly. “I wouldn’t be that crazy over it though. Stiles is overreacting.”

Danny laughs. “To each his own, I guess. What do you like to eat?”

Isaac swallows and pauses for a second while he thinks. “I don’t really know? I guess I don’t particularly like or dislike anything. But I guess chocolate?” 

“Chocolate? What sort? Dark chocolate? Milk chocolate?” 

Isaac just looks completely bewildered at the question. “I, I don’t know? Just any, I think? Is there a difference?”

Danny looks at him in disbelief. “Seriously?”

“What?”

“You really don’t know?”

“Am I supposed to?”

Danny takes another curly fry from the packet in Isaac’s lap, pops it into his mouth. “Dark chocolate is a lot more bitter, milk chocolate is a lot sweeter. Honestly, there’s a whole variety out there. There’s even some with alcohol in it. Wanna try?”

Isaac immediately shakes his head at the very mention of alcohol, but then remembers the rest of what Danny’d said. “Dark chocolate sounds pretty good. Is it entirely bitter? What’s it like? I’ve only had chocolate that’s sweet before.”

“It’s not exactly a bitter solid. I think there’s still a fair amount of sugar in there, but apparently it’s good for the body. Hey, seeing how Valentine’s coming up, wanna go check out some chocolate? There’s probably a sale soon.”

Isaac’s never actually thought about Valentine’s, seeing how it’s been just a normal day for the past 17 years of his life. It suddenly occurs to him that it’s a day for lovers, a day for people who sell chocolate to make sales.

“You want to go out on Valentine’s to buy chocolate?” Isaac asks. “Won’t it be crowded or anything?”

“Oh yeah, that’s true. Or we could make some together! Home made chocolate! I’m pretty sure the ingredients are cheaper too. Come over on Valentine’s? We could make some milk and dark chocolate.” Danny winks in an obviously exaggerated manner, and Isaac ignores the weird flutter in his stomach at that action. “I may not look it, but I’m pretty damn good at baking, so I doubt I’d screw up.”

Isaac eyes him in what he hopes comes off as disgust. “Is this your idea of what a good date would be, because if it is, I wouldn't want to date you.”

Danny laughs again, and then takes a handful off fries and mashes it into Isaac’s mouth. “The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” he says, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. 

Isaac pokes Danny’s cheek because Danny’s dumb.

They meet up after school a week later, and there’s nothing much Isaac can say about it other than it being the happiest day of his life. He even gets to meet Danny’s family, and it’s a surprise to know that there are such great, supportive parents out there. He’d always thought everyone was like his dad, or at least not as welcoming as Danny's parents were.

What’s not so fun, though, is how Danny seems to like smearing him with butter and anything remotely greasy everywhere. His face and his clothes are the unfortunate victims of Danny’s attacks, and while Isaac isn’t really used to such unrestrained (barbaric, his father would say) behaviour, he tries to let loose and join in the fun.

The moment he starts, he can’t quite stop. It’s like a tap that’s suddenly twisted all the way and energy gushes out at top speed, and there’s nothing that can stop it. Isaac actually feels like he’s having fun, he hasn’t smiled this much in a long time. His jaw even hurts.

At the end of the whole thing, Danny pushes a box with half of the chocolate they’d made into Isaac’s hands, and Isaac’s smile falters.

“I can’t,” he says, trying not to put a downer on the mood. Which is kind of contradictory.

“Why not?” Danny doesn’t seem quite put out, which is good.

“It's... I used your kitchen, and you paid for all the ingredients, and I even ate some of the chocolate...” Isaac doesn’t know how to explain the situation such that Danny understands.

“Don't worry about that! It's nothing much, plus my parents and I had a really good time with you here. I think your company is enough to cover the cost of all you mentioned, and in return for your efforts in upping the level of happiness at my place, I think you deserve some home-made chocolate."

Isaac doesn't buy it, obviously. "I could pay you if you can give me the receipt? Or just tell me how much it is, I can give you the money right away. How much is it?" Isaac digs into his bag, bringing out his wallet.

Danny immediately places his hand on Isaac's arm, the feeling of skin-on-skin incredibly warm. "Honestly, don't worry about it."

"But..." Danny sighs. "Mom!" 

Isaac is a little confused, but waits patiently for Danny's mother to appear.

"Isaac wants to pay for the ingredients we used to make chocolate!" 

She approaches Isaac, and Danny loosens his grip on Isaac. "Isaac, it's really nothing much. You helped with the washing up, didn't you? Treat that as the payment, because we all know how much of a bore that is."

Isaac nods slowly, uncertainly, and Danny takes the opportunity to take a piece of chocolate and stuff it into Isaac's mouth. He lets it melt, feeling the creamy texture and extraordinary taste as he pushes it inside his mouth with his tongue. 

"Well then, that's settled. You'll bring it home, alright?" She's so, so nice. Isaac doesn't know how to say no, but it's not as if he doesn’t want the chocolate either.

"By the way, do you want to stay for dinner? We're ordering takeout today. Pizza? Chinese? Anything you want?" 

Isaac is baffled at the sudden change in topic, thinks about the darkness and silence in his home and compares it with the bustling and brightness and gentle human voices here. "Okay," he says.

Later that night, Danny walks Isaac to the front porch and stares at him for a long while, and Isaac stares back, thinking it’s a game. 

“What?” Isaac says, once the silence starts getting to him, and ducks his head a little. It’s kind of embarrassing to be stared at so intensely.

“You should smile more often,” Danny replies gently, and Isaac gives him an awkward smile in return, suddenly self-conscious. He shrugs, and thanks him for having him over and letting him have such a great time.

Luckily, Danny doesn’t comment on how he diverts the conversation so abruptly.

Isaac’s never been good with compliments, and that one was so out of the blue that he didn’t really know how to react. It feels nice to know that Danny likes something of his, though he doesn’t quite know what there is to like about a mere smile.

Just some teeth, a grin… There’s been so little for him to smile about, and it feels strange just thinking that Danny’s somehow been able to make him smile without trying too hard. 

Danny’s wormed his way into Isaac’s heart, and he’s suddenly filled with gratitude for getting to know this wonderful person who’s been there for him all this time, for these past few months.

He texts Danny a while longer after he comes home, feeling full and just… sated. 

Danny: Had fun today?  
Isaac: yup, definitely. Thanks for having me over.  
Danny: No problem, glad you had fun. So what’s the verdict?  
Isaac: ?  
Danny: You know, about the chocolate. Are you a dark chocolate guy?  
Isaac: Oh, that. I guess so. Is that a good or a bad thing?  
Danny: Who said it had to be a thing?  
Isaac: I don’t know, just asking.  
Danny: Well, what I do know is that dark chocolate is good for the body.  
Isaac: Are you a health freak?  
Danny: Your freak ;)  
Isaac: don’t be gross

There’s a lot of friendly banter that Isaac’s starting to get used to, and he likes it. He’s never had anyone willing to speak so freely with him. 

As he says his goodnights, his thoughts start to wander, focusing on the darkness of the night, the silence, and it’s sort of depressing.

Isaac spends that night trying to focus on Danny’s texts, re-reading a month’s worth of messages before falling asleep, phone under his pillow.

 

Things start to change when Jackson comes back to visit. Like he said, Isaac was pretty observant. He’d known that Jackson was Danny’s best friend before he’d left for London, and now that he’s back… Well, Isaac can’t say he’s happy.

With Jackson back, it means that Danny will always hang out with him. He knows they need to catch up, and now he sees it. He’s always been a replacement for Jackson; he could never be what Danny needed.

He’s deluded himself into thinking that Danny would just need him, given their close relationship for the past 5 months, and obviously that isn’t the case.

It was laughable, how much Isaac had grown to rely on Danny. He’d promised himself never to do it, but he had, and that wasn’t good.

They don’t really talk as much as they did anymore, and Isaac can’t help but dislike Jackson (though he knows it’s his fault for getting attached, not Jackson’s). It was all “Hey, Isaac, wanna hang out- Oh, Jackson! Heard about that new episode last night?” and Isaac would take that as his cue to leave.

He tries to avoid Danny, turning the other way when he spots him, leaving as soon as he can, going to a different library that’s a little further away. It’ll be the way life was before Danny, before he started relying on people, because he’s learnt his lesson. People don’t really need Isaac. His existence is negligible. 

Sometimes Danny texts him, asking about his opinions on some shows that Isaac watched just because Danny does, or homework. He doesn’t feel like replying anymore, takes hours to think up an answer or just decides not to respond. 

He feels bad about it, but Danny doesn’t need Isaac anymore, and he’d be better off letting Jackson resume his place beside Danny, a place Isaac should never have had the opportunity to even go near. He’s grateful for the past couple months. It’ll be nothing but a good memory with more time.

 

He doesn’t quite understand, but two weeks later, Jackson’s at Isaac’s locker, which is quite puzzling.

“I don’t think you’re at the right locker.” Isaac states. Jackson might be looking for Lydia’s locker. Or someone. He doesn’t really know.

“What? No, I think I’m at the right locker. Isaac Lahey, yes?” Jackson slams his locker door and Isaac flinches at the action.

He nods.

Jackson glares at him. “I don’t know what you’re on, but if you’ve got a problem with Danny, you tell him straight up. You don’t mess with him.” 

“Huh?” Isaac is confused.

“I’m talking about you avoiding him. You think he wouldn’t notice? You’d better fix this fast, I’m not taking more shit from either of you.” He glares at Isaac intensely, punches his locker again, and then stalks out angrily. 

Isaac silently gets his books out of the locker, ignoring the curious looks from the other students. He doesn’t know what Jackson means by “either of you” and doesn’t want to dwell on it, and decides to keep up with his avoiding Danny.

He shouldn’t get any closer to someone he doesn’t deserve.

 

Danny sends a lot of texts that night. It’s mostly “I’m sorry” and “Did Jackson hurt you?” and “Did I do something wrong?”

It hurts, deep down, because none of this is Danny’s fault. It’s all Isaac’s fault for not knowing his place, and it hurts that Danny’s hurting and even doubting himself for Isaac.

Isaac settles for a simple message.

Isaac: It’s not your fault. I’m sorry.

It’s cryptic at best, but it’s the only thing that he truly wants to say. 

For the next few weeks, he still gets jealous whenever he sees Jackson by Danny’s side in the hallways (apparently he’s back for good), but Danny and Isaac ignore each other. (Or more like Danny repeatedly tries to make eye contact, and Isaac looks away guiltily.)

Danny’s probably given up on Isaac and his nonsense, and Isaac’s glad for it. It means that Danny won’t be wasting time on him, and he can finally go back to life before Isaac.

 

There're a couple of new students transferring into the school, and a pair of twins that have stirred up some rumours within their first two days in school. Both of them are incredibly built and charming, and classmates are flocking to them left and right.

Isaac doesn’t really know what the fuss is all about. Then again, Isaac has always lived in a world that’s largely separate from everyone else, and he honestly has no idea about their appeal.

He’s heard people talking about their “toned bodies” and “charming smiles”, and for some reason, Isaac relates it to Danny. He doesn’t quite know about Danny’s body, but judging by those tight fitting shirts he likes to wear that don’t show any hints of excess stomach fat, Isaac guesses that Danny’s pretty toned. 

Regarding the rumours, though. Isaac’s heard plenty, and the latest one that piqued his interest was about Lydia Martin and Aiden dating. That didn't seem to be a rumour, considering how he’s seen them kiss in the hallways, and that one time he’d peeked into a classroom, only to see the two of them making out.

To be completely honest, Isaac looked into that classroom for a second more than he should have, and he’s not quite sure how he feels about it. He’s sure about one thing though- He’s definitely not interested.

Isaac really doesn’t understand the appeal of either of the twins.

 

The twins enter the lacrosse team as well, and immediately get into Coach’s good books. Isaac thinks it’s not fair, because they always seem to get the ball and just make Coach happy, while he’s always getting yelled at for some reason.

Isaac doesn’t have much muscle either, other than everything accumulated from lacrosse practice, and that’s obviously nothing compared to people who actually work out. He’s seen Ethan and Aiden both at work, lifting weights like nobody’s business, and while fascinating, he doesn’t feel like staying to watch them.

Sometimes Isaac watches Danny in the locker room, and nowadays Danny’s always looking at Ethan. It used to be them, locking eyes and secret grins about plans for after practice, but it’s just… gone.

It hurts more, knowing that it’s someone new, that it’s not even Jackson, who Danny should always be hanging out with. It hurts knowing that he’s not enough for Danny, and he knows it’s selfish because he was the one who pulled away in the first place. He has no place to judge.

Isaac just feels robbed, but only of something that was never his. Danny’s companionship was the best thing in life, and to see someone else gaining it so easily just makes him wonder if he made the wrong choice back then. Would he have made a difference if he’d decided to continue hanging out with Danny?

He knows that Danny deserves a lot better, and honestly, Isaac just wants Danny to be happy at the end of the day. 

 

His wish for Danny to be happy is granted when he peeks in on Danny and Ethan kissing fiercely (sometimes Isaac thinks that the world is against him, always showing him things that rub salt on his wounds).

Unfortunately, Isaac’s the one who gets jealous of their closeness, and he tries his best to avoid them. Jackson occasionally still hangs around Danny, but nowadays it’s Ethan, Ethan, Ethan.

Danny still texts him sometimes, little things that Isaac doesn’t really know how to respond to. 

Danny: Great match today, go team!  
Danny: Looking pretty good today, Lahey! ;)  
Danny: French will be the death of me.  
Danny: He’s amazing.  
Danny: I don’t know how he does it, but he does.  
Danny: How can someone be so perfect?

Isaac wants to say something, but at this point in time he’s supposed to be ignoring Danny, and just doesn’t reply.

If anything, he’s glad that Danny’s found someone great.

 

There’s a glint in Danny’s eyes every time he sees Ethan, and they always seem to be looking at each other with such intensity that Isaac never knew was possible.

Danny hasn’t even looked at him like that before, but then again, Isaac and Danny were never lovers. They were just really good friends, and there’s a stark difference between platonic and romantic relationships. 

Isaac averts his gaze every time he sees them in the hallways, and now he doesn’t try to make eye contact with anyone at all. 

It might sound like an exaggeration, but Isaac feels like them being together is torture for him and bliss for Danny.

It’s alright, as long as Danny is happy.

 

Isaac honestly doesn’t know why he’s so fixated on Danny. His eyes just seem to follow him naturally wherever he goes, and he can’t help but mope around at home while he wonders about Danny’s terrible French.

Maybe Ethan can help Danny with French. He doesn’t know how good Ethan is at French, though. 

His chemistry isn’t suffering that much either, having had almost everything explained by Danny some time ago. 

Isaac tries his best to stop looking at them, because every look is a stab in his heart that he doesn’t understand; he’s never had anyone mean as much to him before. 

 

Three months down the road, Isaac finds out Danny and Ethan broke up. It’s all over the school, rumours about how Ethan cheated on Danny for some guy working at a bookstore nearby.

He sees it, the way Danny is reduced to almost nothing after that. He’s quiet, stops smiling when he thinks nobody is looking.

Isaac sees everything, and- he really wants to help.

He sees Danny watch Ethan when he enters the room, and then seems to remember his betrayal before his gaze drops. 

In all honesty, it’s heartbreaking, because Danny is the sweetest guy he’s ever known and nobody deserves this.

He has half a mind to beat Ethan up, but he’s nowhere as built and he’s had zero experience in hitting people. He’d probably lose, rather than deal any damage.

He doesn’t really know what he can do to make Danny feel better, and he honestly doesn’t know if Danny wants to talk to him.

Half of him is hoping that Danny will text him and just talk about everything, because that might help him feel better, but chances are that’s not going to happen.

Isaac decides to give him the words that he can’t actually say out loud, in his face.

He has a ton of post-it notes that he’s bought to aid in his studying. He hasn’t been using them as much, and it seems like a pretty good opportunity now.

The day after Danny and Ethan breaks up, Isaac goes to Danny’s pencil case while he’s gone and pastes a post-it underneath, such that a bit of yellow paper can be seen.

There are people out there that hurt you  
And there are people out there who love you  
It probably hurts right now  
But please know that you’re better off without him  
It’s better to find out now than never

He doesn’t sign off, and tries to alter his handwriting as much as he can. Danny definitely knows his handwriting from all that chemistry.

He knows the exact moment that Danny reads the moment, and from his seat behind, sees how his cheek moves just that bit that indicates a tiny smile.

Isaac can only hope that it really helps.

He doesn’t know how a heartbreak works, so he doesn’t think he has the words that can comfort others. He’s never comforted anyone either, and he can only imagine how Danny’s feeling.

The day after, he puts another post-it under Danny’s pencil case.

Someday you’ll find someone  
Who makes you smile like the sun  
Who makes you want to care for them  
Who treats you just as well as you treat them  
Till that day  
Don’t despair  
Because what will come will come

It isn’t poetry, because Isaac doesn’t follow any real poetry forms, and he just writes. It’s proper sentences with spaces in between, and he just likes to write that way. 

(He hopes Danny isn’t good at poetry, because he’ll probably laugh at this anonymous writer.)

He does it again, day after day.

He watches Danny smile a little more everyday, and it’s a gift. Back when they were friends, this wasn’t ever a problem, and seeing him regaining that shine is always amazing.

 

Danny writes back one day, and Isaac really doesn’t expect it. It’s on a blue post-it, and there’s the most Danny message ever.

Thank you so much for your kind words. It really does make me feel better. If you don’t mind me asking, who are you? 

Isaac suddenly fears Danny finding out his identity as the anonymous writer, and Danny doesn’t receive any post-its that day.

Isaac spends the night pondering what he should do next. 

He writes a nonsensical story instead.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who liked to surround herself with flowers and teddy bears. She’d bring them everywhere, leaving a trail of flower petals behind her. The adults liked to call her the flower princess, but she didn’t like it. 

One day, she grew up and learnt things like biology, and then found out that she was actually killing the flowers, and she realized what a terrible person she had been. How many hundreds of lives had she taken? Was she the flower princess or the flower murderer? 

Sometimes pretty things could also be the worst things ever.

Isaac doesn’t know what this particular story is supposed to mean, but he just feels like giving it to Danny.

This time he slips it into Danny’s economics textbook, and since they have Economics later that day, he’s pretty sure Danny will find it.

He tries to be more discreet now.

 

He’s putting a purple post-it note in Danny’s bag this time, one that says: 

Isn’t it funny that the saddest things always allow for the best sort of comfort?  
But what if there is nothing else comforting left in this world?

Isaac doesn’t mean to, but now Danny is someone he shares his writing and thoughts with, which wasn’t his original intention.

He hopes Danny doesn’t get sad as he does sometimes, but can’t help it when sometimes, he hides under his covers at night, and that’s the only kind of material he can come up with.

Unfortunately, as he’s dropping it, hoping it doesn’t look too weird, he looks up and suddenly- There’s Danny, and oh, no, this is not a good situation.

He’s kind of tongue-tied, and he can only stutter in embarrassment, going, “I, uh, this isn’t what you- I’m sorry, I’ll just, yeah, so,” and escapes out of school as fast as he can.

Isaac’s heart is in his chest, and this is the worst possible attention ever, he didn’t expect Danny to find out, and- why is he hiding?

Sometimes Isaac really doesn’t understand things that he does, and it’s scary how Danny just makes him so irrational.

He can feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, and checks it to see Danny calling. 

Isaac’s thankful it’s the weekend the next day, and switches off his phone, runs all the way home and leans against the walls outside while he stares outside blankly.

Danny doesn’t know where he lives, which means his home is his only safe haven. That isn’t actually true, because home is the only place where he can hide from Danny, but it’s also the place that he wants to avoid. There are a lot of memories there he doesn't feel like revisiting there.

That whole weekend, he catches up on chemistry, tries to write something in French, makes a blog, does a lot of things. 

He tries not to think about Danny finding out, but a lot of thoughts come out. There's another part of him that speaks up, going, 'so what if he finds out? What's going to happen?' but he can't help but fear seeing Danny. He's been avoiding Danny all this while, and what if Danny's mad?

He resists for a full day, but eventually looks at his phone. There are 3 voice mails and about 15 texts, and Isaac thinks he's cheating when he listens and reads the messages. It feels like something he isn't allowed to do, for some reason, and he has no idea what to do with the countless 'are you alright?' 'why didn't you tell me?' 'why?'

There are a whole bunch of whys, and the most troublesome thing is that Isaac doesn't know why he did it when he should have known he would be caught, sooner or later.

Isaac knows he has to go to school eventually, and tries not to look at Danny. Unfortunately, it's not much use.

Danny sits at his table during lunch, not saying anything. Isaac doesn't say anything either, focusing on finishing his food as fast as possible.

Danny asks, "Are you free today?"

Isaac wonders how he should answer. 

Danny tries again, "Wanna come over to my place? My mom's been asking about you and wanted you to come over for dinner today. She's cooking."

There are many things to consider in this question. Should Isaac go? Of course not, but does he want to go? Does he want to eat with Danny's amazing parents? Does he want to try Danny's mother's cooking?

The answer is a resounding yes inside, but Isaac doesn't know what will happen if Danny asks about the post-its. He doesn't know if he should come over, when it's been so long since he's done anything with Danny.

Isaac has never been good at saying no, so he agrees.

He follows Danny home in silence, with Danny making some small talk, and Isaac suddenly realises how long it's been and how much he misses Danny. It took up the whole day, and suddenly having him so close is making his heart beat fast, perhaps in anticipation of going to his house but also in fear of the questions that are to come.

Once they reach, Danny brings Isaac to his room, sitting on the bed with Isaac after bringing over familiar post-its. 

Isaac should have known; this was a topic that he couldn’t have run from.

“You wrote these?” Danny starts, looking Isaac straight in the eye. It’s intense, and Isaac looks at the bed sheets.

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just wanted you to feel better; you didn't need to know it was me.”

“If I’d known it was you, it’d make me appreciate it so much more. Not to say I didn’t appreciate this, but… Isaac, you’re my friend. I don’t know what I did all those months ago, but I needed you.”

“But you had Jackson, and I didn’t want to impose,” Isaac shrugs, and tugs the bed sheets nervously. “I’m glad it helped, though.” 

“You’re never imposing.”

“I just thought that with Jackson around, he’d be able to help you? I’m not good at things like feelings, so…” He doesn’t know if he’s supposed to tell Danny why he pushed Danny away, or why he wrote the post-its. Everything just seems to roll together and his mind has gone blank.

“Your words really helped, you know. Who said you’re not good at comforting people?” 

Isaac pulls at the bed sheets again, lowers his head even more. His heart’s beating even faster than usual, and suddenly the fact that they’re both on the same bed, alone in the room, is made so apparent to him. He doesn’t know what to say.

Silence hangs in the room, and Isaac gets more nervous by the second.

He flinches when he suddenly feels Danny touch his hand and glances at Danny, biting his lower lip. His gaze drops again and he freezes up, unsure of what to do. 

“You’re an amazing person, Isaac Lahey. Don’t ever think less of yourself.” 

Isaac wants to crawl into his own skin at this point in time, but he kind of likes the warmth from Danny’s hand. 

“Your writing is beautiful. Every single word has so much meaning, and even your nonsensical stories are adorable in their own way.” Danny sighs gently, squeezing his hand.

Isaac chances a glance at Danny, and brown eyes stare so intently into his own that he can't look away.

“You know, the thing about Ethan actually didn’t affect me as much as you did. After you started ignoring me, it took a long time for me to stop wanting to talk to you. Even while I was with Ethan, I think there was this part of me that wanted and needed you near me.” He breathed slowly, “You’re important to me, Isaac.” 

Isaac’s stunned, can’t say anything without sounding like an idiot, and can only make a little sound resembling “oh”.

“Oh,” he tries again.

Danny smiles, that brilliant smile that Isaac likes to gaze at, and then he’s pulling Isaac close, hugging him, and this is the most physical contact that Isaac’s ever gotten since his family left him. 

He lets his hands hang limply by the side, before he uncertainly brings them up to Danny’s back. Is he allowed to do that?

Danny doesn’t say anything about it, though, so Isaac guesses that it’s alright, lets himself lean into the embrace. He breathes in Danny’s scent, feels the warmth of a body against his that spreads throughout his body, lets himself enjoy this.

They go downstairs after a while, the hugging affair ending with a shout from Danny's mother asking them to come down for dinner. The food and interaction with Danny's parents is great, but what's even more surprising is how Danny offers to bring him home. 

It's never happened before, and somehow something feels different, though Isaac doesn't know what's changed. He can still feel the heat of Danny's hands, Danny's back still lingering. 

Isaac gives directions, and they get to Isaac's place. It's dark inside, of course, and he's scared because there are invisible monsters inside waiting to get Isaac, but he has his phone out and all will be fine.

Isaac asks if Danny wants to come in (secretly hopes he will take him up on his offer) and to his surprise, Danny agrees. He unlocks the door, brings him in and offers him some coffee.

"Isn't there anyone home?"

Isaac just shrugs in answer. "It's just me now."

"Wait, why haven't I heard anything about this?" Danny asks as he whirls around, confused. "You never mentioned anything about living alone!"

"It's not anything special anyway. I'd tell you if I'm outside starving and homeless though, so you'd better be ready to take me in if that happens," he teases, while thinking about what snacks he has to offer Danny. 

"No, you're not going to just change the topic like that. Have you always been living alone? Are you doing alright?" Danny asks, and the whole atmosphere turns serious.

Isaac doesn't really know how to react to that, so he laughs for no reason. "My dad died earlier this year, so it's just me now. He left me the house and I got some money from his insurance and stuff, so I'm doing fine for now. I'm thinking of getting a job after I graduate here though."

"Earlier this year?" Danny thinks about it for a moment. "Was it before or after we met? And by met, I mean hanging out."

"Before. It's not a big deal, really, and I'm already used to this." Isaac brings Danny the coffee and some cookies that were not half bad. He'd gotten the recipe from Erica.

Danny thanks him, and wonders aloud, "Don't you ever get lonely here? It's a large house." 

The question lingers in the room, in the house, and somehow the silence answers everything Danny needs to know. 

"Like I said, I'm used to it."

"But you don't have to!" Danny blows up, because Isaac keeps doing that thing he hates. "You have me now, and I'm going to change things for you."

Isaac doesn't quite understand the sudden anger, but he concedes. 

"Okay," he says. "What are you going to do?"

Danny stares Isaac straight in the eye. "You, my friend, are coming over for dinner during the weekend, and we're going to play video games and eat junk food and watch movies. We're going to bake, we're going to do some sports- I don't know, but we're just going to let loose and have fun."

Danny thinks again. "Or we can do it at your place. How about this, I come over tomorrow and you think of things we can do together. Okay? That's your homework for tonight."

"Homework?" Isaac echoes, his lips quirking in a smile.

Danny doesn't give him time to say anything else, downing his coffee and trying a cookie. "Don't forget! Bye!" He grins, pearly-white teeth making their appearance and he ruffles Isaac's hair, "Don't forget!" and he's out of the house, on his way home.

Isaac's laughs at the empty room, because Danny is just very ridiculous sometimes.

As promised, they hang out after school, he goes over to Danny's place and somehow becomes a new member of the family. 

(It may or may not have to do with the amazing food Danny's mom can cook.)

("It's not you," Isaac whispers loudly at the dining table, "I'm really here for the food. You're not as amazing as you think you are," and it's amazing when he sees Danny's parents light up at his words.)

Danny starts to touch him more, which is welcoming, but Isaac doesn’t really know what to do whenever Danny touches his hand, or ruffles his hair, or cups his cheek, or hugs him.

Isaac knows what an idiot he must seem in Danny’s eyes, but he can’t help going stiff every time Danny touches him. It’s just an action that’s so unfamiliar and there isn’t a guidebook of any sort that tells him how he should respond in such situations.

Danny addresses this matter when they’re watching TV on the couch. (Why does Danny always like to talk about things he’s uncomfortable about?) He’s inched his hand towards Isaac’s, before fitting it against Isaac’s.

He looks at Danny in surprise, but Danny’s looking at the screen like nothing happened, and Isaac doesn’t know what to do with the weight in his palm. Is he supposed to grip back? Is there something he’s supposed to do?

Danny seems to sense his confusion and looks over. Isaac looks at him and then looks at their joined hands shyly, hands starting to sweat in nervousness. 

“What’s wrong?” Danny asks quietly while the TV continues to blare, and Isaac shrugs, unsure of how to answer. 

“Do you mind…?” Danny continues, squeezing Isaac’s hand. 

He shakes his head. It feels good, and he slowly squeezes back, turning his gaze back to the screen.

“I’m serious, do you feel uncomfortable? I can stop if you want me to.” Danny makes a show of removing his hand from Isaac’s hold, and Isaac quickly tries to keep Danny’s hand in his.

“No, it’s just… weird.” A good weird, Isaac thinks, but doesn’t know how to tell Danny.

“Weird?”

Isaac squirms a little, unwilling to continue.

“C’mon, tell me. I won’t judge you.”

“I don’t really know what to do? I mean, am I supposed to…” He falls silent, reluctant to continue. He’s getting embarrassed and can feel a flush coming to his face, and uses his other hand to scratch the back of his neck, hoping Danny isn’t looking at him.

That’s obviously not going to happen, and Danny squeezes his hand and Isaac can’t look at Danny again. 

“Just do whatever feels right.” He pauses for a second, “Do you like me?” 

It’s a shock to hear it, and Isaac freaks out for a second. “I… I mean, you’re a really nice guy, so yeah, why wouldn’t I like you?” He gives a nervous laugh. “Anyone would be an idiot not to like you.”

“I mean romantically.”

Isaac doesn’t really know why, but he blushes and gives the tiniest of a shrug. “I… guess? Um.” 

“You do.”

Isaac stays silent, mind wondering how best to get out of this situation, and then shifts his gaze to the screen. “You’re missing the show.”

“And you’re avoiding my question.”

“I don’t know…”

Danny slides over a little, kisses him on the lips.

Isaac freezes, looks at him shyly after that, and proceeds to bite his lips accidentally. It’s just a nervous habit, and knowing that Danny had just kissed him milliseconds before just makes him more flustered. 

“I don’t know what to do,” he confesses quietly later, just as he had before, and Isaac feels warm and nervous and just so unsure. 

“Just do whatever feels right,” Danny whispers, and pecks him on the lips again.

 

It’s the first- or two- of more kisses to come, and Isaac eventually loosens up the more they do it. Danny likes to give him forehead and nose kisses, and Isaac likes it too, smiling brightly every time. 

They kiss with tongue a couple weeks later, when Isaac gets more used to the notion of touching, and this time he gets embarrassed because he’s getting turned on and just... everything. 

Isaac’s used to harsh words, violent beatings, but with how Danny treats him so gently as if he’s glass, it’s just difficult to adjust after all these years. It gets easier with time, knowing Danny's his safe place, and nobody here would hurt him.

“They all love you,” Danny had commented while they were cuddling in Danny’s room, and Isaac had grinned and snuggled up to him, pinching Danny’s nose mischievously.

"Well, I know my charming good looks and delightful humour are sure to be the way into anyone's heart," Isaac teases.

Danny laughs. "Well, I don't know if I should be jealous or anything, but you've got mine. Please don't go after anyone else's heart, you little heart-stealing goblin," and Isaac beams.

"I'm a goblin?"

He’s never had anyone he could feel so comfortable with (aside from the whole touching thing that he’d never done with anyone, which had made him horrible unsure about himself), and Danny was simply a godsend. 

There's another question that's been at the back of Isaac's mind for ages, and he thinks to ask quite a long while later, the matter always slipping his mind.

"How did you get my phone number?" 

Danny runs his fingers through Isaac's hair. "If you really must know, I got it from the..."

He whispers in Isaac's ear, "Master Goblin."

**Author's Note:**

> Years later, Isaac can be found scribbling little things in his notebook, while Danny’s on his laptop programming some software. Eventually one of them looks up at the other, and they kiss, and then leave the room for a dinner that Danny’s going to cook while Isaac watches.
> 
> They’ll make stupid jokes that’ll result in mock fights, and then get disappointed at their burnt dinner which is absolutely alright, because Isaac’s found Danny, and Danny needs Isaac, and that’s probably the best thing that will ever happen in Isaac’s life.


End file.
